More Memories from daughter Thelma

For the first thirteen days of September, 2006, Dad has been very much on my mind and heart, leading up to memories of his death on September 13, 2005 in the morning. As has been in mentioned in my earlier Memorial Day memories, I still think of many of his helpful "daily living" sayings and actual living example to help prove those homilies true.
Of course, a few outstanding ones come to mind that we all have quoted
many times: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going"--"It’ll
feel better when it quits hurting". Gentry’s famous quote "Grandpa, no use worryin’, cause it’s just going to get worse!"
I remember vividly some of the last fall trips to Trenton, when he shared his vast harvest of tomatoes--and always gave me some canned green beans which we always savored far into the winter. Then, when he moved to York, I still remember the fall trips there and observing the harvest decorations on the front porch of the Mahoney House. Dad used to kind of make fun of them--but he was more than glad to sit in one of the rocking chairs on the porch right next to the pumpkins and scarecrows to have a picture taken in his bib overalls!
Also, how he loved to go out for "biscuits and gravy" where they didn’t "plop" the gravy on top of the biscuits. I never did figure out why this was so frustrating to him when he couldn’t put the gravy on himself. And none of those "cheese" biscuits, either! How he loved a good steak! And, the size of the ones he used to serve all the menfolk when he was at Unionville and Trenton!
The days and hours Dad and I spent going over the suitcases of pictures, hearing him tell the history of them, and categorizing them by activities or years. I remember the Alaska pictures, the Tornado pictures, the Willow Springs and National Western Stock Show pictures, the grandchildren pictures doing fun activities on the ranch at Unionville with Dad--on the tractor--on Kate, or Jewel, or one pony or other.
Then I remembered Lincoln--the hospital--Marie and I sharing a room at the Motel, coming in late in the evening to eat supper at the homey little restaurant there, then falling into bed exhausted after long hours at the hospital. But, those hours were nothing to us as they must have been to Dad trying so hard to be a good patient throughout all the painful procedures.
I remember, just before they were to transport him back to York, him calling me over to the bedside and saying very clearly "Are YOU all right?". It was like he was concerned how I was holding up. I assured him that I was getting rest, eating regularly, and Marie was a comfort.
And, I thanked him for making it possible for us to have a comfortable place to stay. That seemed to satisfy him at that time, though I really feel he was wanting to find out something deeper about how we were all holding up. However, since it wasn’t a time to get emotional, the answer about our physical needs seemed to satisfy him at that time.
The trip to York in the back of the ambulance was a blur. Dad and I did talk some to calm him. Roger was following in the car, but the ambulance took a "back way" to York, so Rog and I talked via cell phone. The Hearthstone was a welcome sight and Dad had good care there. As usual, Dad was concerned about the man that was his roommate, hoping we weren’t bothering him. The man was very gracious and understanding. I’m going to stop here, because the last couple of days are best put farther back in the memory (but they are still there). In memory of the first Anniversary of Dad’s death. Love, daughter, Thelma